The Light in Her Eyes
by Loveandcoffeeandsimplicities
Summary: Tragedy strikes for the Cooper-Joneses clan, leaving Jughead on a ruthless mission to solve the case. Can he before the time works against him? Bughead. I do not own the show or comics.
1. Shot

**Author's note: I'm sick with pneumonia, behind on Riverdale with one episode, and here with a new story. I can't help myself. I'm trying to find stories to write that inspire me to keep my poetry book going. Side note, if I ever get my poetry book published, would that be something y'all would consider reading? Anyways, enjoy. Xxxx**

Jughead checked the time on his watch again, soft frown stenciled into his features. He was certain Betty said she'd meet him at Pop's at ten that night but it was now a quarter til eleven and she was nowhere to be seen. Trying to ignore the uncomfortable churning in his stomach, he pulled out his phone for the millionth time and pressed her speed dial, pressing the phone against his ear. Her chipper voice came across the line moments later.

"_Hi! This is Betty's phone and you know what to do at the sound of the beep. Leave a message and I'll call back whenever I can. Thanks!"_

"Betts, it's me again. I'm really starting to get worried. If you're alright will you please just let me know? Things haven't been safe in our town for a few years now and I really don't like the idea of you by yourself at night. So, please, call me when you get this. Love you." Jughead hung up the phone and nodded at Pop to refill his coffee for him. He and Betty had agreed to meet up now that he was back from Stonewall and attending Riverdale High again. Between their brother coming back and their parents getting together, things had been a bit off balance in their own relationship but he still held all the amount of adoration for her that he once did. He just needed to know she was okay.

Just then, his phone rang, Betty's name flashing across the screen. Exhaling a sigh of relief, he swiped his thumb across the accept button and took the call. "Betty, baby, where-."

"Jughead? Juggie. I'm scared," her broken whisper caused his heart to clench and he was on his feet before he had time to think properly. He threw down money for his coffee, not bothering to wait for the change, before running out of the diner.

"Where are you, Betts?" Jughead demanded, skidding to a stop next to his motorcycle.

"I-I don't know. A basement, maybe?" Betty replied, voice sounding uncertain.

_Fuck. _

"Okay, baby, what's the last thing you remember?" Jughead implored and she exhaled shakily.

"It was around seven this evening and I was meeting up with Charles for some information on Chic before I was supposed to meet you. But he never came and someone must've…I don't know, drugged me or something because the next thing I remember is waking up, handcuffed to some pole," she whispered. Just then, her voice caught in her throat. "Shit, someone is coming."

"Keep the phone close to you so I can hear everything, baby," Jughead implored. He knew she had heard him when he could hear her talking to someone.

"_I really don't know what game you think you're playing but I am willing to bet you'd lose. My mom is dating the town sheriff who once ran a motorcycle gang; I'm dating his son who is now running the gang; and my brother is a federal agent. So, really, you're looking at some serious misfortune coming your way, pal." _Betty's voice carried through the phone and Jughead felt a surge of pride at her bravery – that was his girl. The laughter that followed sent a shiver up his spine; it was cold and calculating. Then, the unmistakable sound of flesh meeting flesh and Jughead winced when he heard Betty gasp.

"Betty, are you there?" Jughead demanded into the phone. It wasn't her voice he heard.

"Jughead Jones."

"Who the fuck is this?" Jughead demanded, anger dancing through his bones. He never, ever thought he needed to be Betty's knight and shining armor because his girl could always take care of herself but right now he'd be willing to pay the price for being the overprotective boyfriend if it meant she was back by his side.

"That's not important. My message for you is," the voice replied, and Jughead knew that it was pointless to try and pin point whose it was because he was distorting it. Breathing deeply through his nose, Jughead willed himself to remain calm.

"Look, you worthless piece of trash, you have about two seconds to tell me where Betty is or I'll tear apart this whole town looking for you and when I find you, it won't be pretty," he vowed viciously.

The man laughed again.

"I'll do you even one better. I'll tell you what I want and where you can find Elizabeth," the man said, and Jughead, still red with anger, nodded. He forced himself to speak.

"What do you want?" Jughead demanded.

"For you to write an article about how times in Riverdale are changing and how we're not going anywhere," the man said. Then, he heard a bang and Jughead froze.

"BETTY?" Jughead screamed, but the line had gone dead. "Fuck!"

He went to hit the speed dial again but a text came in at that moment, giving an address that he knew. Not hesitating for a second, he jumped on his bike, kick-started it to life, and sped off in the direction he needed to go.

XXX

Once at Riverdale High, he rushed into the building, rolling his eyes internally at the fact that it wasn't locked. But then again, that must have been what he wanted. Running towards the gym, the sounds of his feet slapping against the linoleum floor echoed in his ears, giving him a headache. He reached the gym, yanked open the door, and nearly slid in his girlfriend's blood. Catching himself, he stared down in horror at her and how deathly white she was.

"Fuck, no baby, no!" Jughead cried, yanking off his jacket and covering her wound tightly with it. "You stay with me, Elizabeth Cooper. You fucking understand me? You stay and fight."

"Juggie," she whispered, and his eyes went to hers'.

"That's it baby, keep hanging there," he begged.

"You've got to stop him, he needs to be stopped," she muttered.

"Stop who? Who did this to you baby?" Jughead demanded as he whipped out his cellphone and dialed for an ambulance. Having realized she wasn't going to reply he ground out their location, telling them to hurry, she had already lost so much blood, then got off the phone and pushed her hair off her forehead.

Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed it.

"I love you. Please. Fight."

XXX

After Betty was rushed away to the OR by doctors who left Jughead with nothing but little reassurances, Jughead made phone calls to Archie, Veronica, and Alice. The three of them entered the hospital waiting room right around the time Jughead was close to slamming his fist through a wall.

"Jughead!" Alice called, and he spun around on his heel and allowed himself to be hugged by her. Looking over her shoulder, he spotted his dad looking pale.

"What do we know? What happened?" FP asked, and Jughead could feel all of their eyes on him expectantly. He gripped his beanie, finding comfort in the familiar knit.

"Betty was supposed to meet me at ten at Pop's. We were going to talk about some things now that I'm transitioning back to Riverdale High. By the time it was a quarter to eleven, I hadn't heard from her. I kept trying her phone but it kept going to voicemail. She finally called me as soon as I was about to call you, dad. She sounded absolutely terrified but holding it together – like she always does," he added, not being able to stop the pride flowing through him.

"Where was she?" Alice demanded, clutching onto FP's hand.

Jughead swallowed. "S-She said she was in some basement, handcuffed. Then someone else came down the stairs, started talking to me. He said they wanted me to write something about how things were going to change in Riverdale. Then they shot her. They fucking shot her."

Just then, there was another commotion and all of them looked up. Charles was sprinting into the hospital.

"Mom, what do we know?" Charles demanded, tears in his eyes.

"Where the hell were you, Charles?" Jughead interrupted before Alice had a chance to reply. Every head turned to him in surprise when they heard his venomous tone. He continued anyway. "Betty said she was waiting for you. Had you been there when you said you'd be, none of this would have happened!"

Charles sank onto the floor, head in his hands. "I know, Jug, and I'm so sorry. I was supposed to meet her but they needed me at headquarters for something. I couldn't get away. _Trust _me, no one hates me as much as I hate myself right now."

Jughead was still mad but it was FP who took pity on Charles.

"It's alright, son. This isn't your fault. We're going to find out who did this to her, alright?" FP asked firmly, a fatherly hand on his other son's shoulder. Charles just nodded, wiping at his face mutely. Jughead looked at his father's hand for a moment before turning to Veronica.

"Ronnie, did Betty say anything to you about someone threatening her? Anything at all?" Jughead asked, but the petite ravened girl shook her head.

"Nothing. I've been so busy helping Archie with cleaning up the streets and my speakeasy that we don't really see each other much besides at school. I know she was involved with that FBI program Charles was running, though," she replied softly. Jughead nodded – he knew that, too.

"She did go see Chic," Charles spoke up, and Jughead looked at him.

'Yeah, she mentioned something about that to me. Do we know what he wanted?" Jughead asked, eyes flitting between Charles, Alice, and FP. The three of them looked at one another before looking back at Jughead.

"Just old history that needed to stay…ah…buried," FP replied, and Jughead understood what his father wasn't saying. Nodding his head, he dropped the subject and turned back to Archie, who looked like he had seen a ghost.

"And you?" Jughead asked his best friend gently, knowing the fact that Archie's other best friend was fighting for her life was no easy thing to accept. Not after Fred Andrew's untimely death. Archie shook his head, hanging it in shame.

"I'm sorry, man. But I've been busy with the ring and Dodger. I haven't really talked to or seen much of Betty," he whispered, and Jughead's heart clenched. So none of them knew where to even begin looking for her abductor and assailant. Just then, a doctor walked into the waiting room.

"Betty Cooper?" She asked, and Jughead was the first to reach her.

"Yes. Is she okay?" Jughead asked.

The doctor sighed. "I'm Emilia Black, the head trauma surgeon. Why don't we all take a seat?"

Jughead would rather stand.

"I'll stay on my feet, thanks," he replied, heart beating harshly. Emilia sighed but nodded her head.

"Regarding Miss. Cooper's injuries, she's very lucky as far as the bullet is concerned. It didn't hit anything vital," Emilia said, and there were collective sighs of relief amongst the group, apart from Jughead, who spoke up again.

"What do you mean 'as far as the bullet is concerned'?" Jughead demanded, feeling fear coil tightly in his stomach.

"This shouldn't come as much of a shock as there's torture in some abduction cases we see," she began, but it was Alice who interrupted her.

"What aren't you saying?" Alice demanded, staring at Emilia.

Sighing, Emilia nodded her head. "Miss Cooper suffered a severe beating, probably while she was unconscious. I wouldn't be surprised if her memory is a little hazy on some events."

"No offense, doc, but it sounds like you're uncertain if Betty has amnesia or not," FP said, wrapping his arm around Alice's shoulders.

Again, Emilia sighed. "She received a blow to the head by a blunt force object. We're not sure what her memory will look like until she wakes up."

"She's not even awake?" Veronica whispered.

"I'm very sorry I can't offer you better news at this point. Miss. Cooper is in a medically induced coma until the swelling on her brain goes down. When that happens, we'll be able to assess just how much damage was done," she explained.

"How long will that be?" Jughead asked quietly.

"Anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. There's no time scale with these sort of recoveries," Emilia replied, and he nodded, feeling hollow. It was a hand on his shoulder that kept him in the present moment and he looked up to spot Charles staring at him.

"We're going to catch the bastard who did this. I promise you," he said firmly, and Jughead nodded.

Too right they were.

**Author's notes: Reviews and kudos make a gal happy. Xxx**


	2. Remember

"Here." It was a soft voice that brought Jughead back to his surroundings. He had been lost in thought about Betty and how scared she sounded, yet still pissed off that she was dealing with the idiot who kidnapped her. Looking up, Jughead spotted Veronica holding out a cup of coffee and he accepted it with a dip of his head.

"Thanks," he said appreciatively, scooting over so his friend could sit down next to him. After she was seated, Jughead took a sip of his coffee, mind back on Betty. "I should have been the one to pick her up tonight. Instead of expecting her to meet me."

"Don't do that to yourself, Jughead," Veronica said quietly. "It's not your fault so don't you dare sit there and try to take the blame. Betty wouldn't want that."

Jughead looked at her before taking a sip of his coffee; he didn't know what to say in response to her statement. How else was he supposed to feel other than guilty? He _should have _made sure Betty was with him. Now she wasn't even conscious and he was hating himself the longer they sat around and waited for any sort of news. He jumped to his feet just then and kicked the chair he just vacated. Heads turned towards him but it was Charles who laid a hand on his shoulder cautiously.

"Jug?" Charles asked quietly.

"I should have _been _there. _You _should have been there. Someone should have fucking_ been_ there!" Jughead yelled, feeling the pain tighten inside of his chest and threaten to pull him under. He couldn't live in a world where his light, his love, didn't remember who he was. "We're not even sure if she is going to remember any of us when she wakes up! Whenever the fuck that will be!" Jughead didn't even know he was crying until a tear landed on his lip and he tasted salt. "I can't lose her like this. I won't survive it."

It was his dad who came to him then. He placed both of his hands on his face, urging him to look at him. "Listen to me, son. She's a fighter. You're not going to lose her; we're not going to lose her. You believe that."

"But, Emilia said she might not even remember us," Jughead whispered, and FP's grip on his face tightened slightly.

"Then we fight like hell to get her to remember us. It's that simple, son. You understand me?" FP demanded, and Jughead nodded, taking in great gulps of air. FP kept his hands on Jughead's face until Jughead had calmed down even a modicum of an amount. Jughead pulled away and wiped at his face fiercely, scrubbing away the tears. It was then that he realized his hands were covered in blood.

"I need to go clean up," he said quietly, and FP nodded.

"There's a bathroom, down the hall and to the left. Clean yourself up in there and I'll go get some clothes for you to wear. We need yours' for evidence," he said.

For one heart stopping moment, Jughead thought the local authorities were going to try and pin this on him but then his dad was continuing and he realized he should have known better. "We know that you're the one who found her and we have the phone evidence of her abductor talking to you. We just need to see if there's any of his fingerprints on your clothes from where you held her."

Jughead nodded and turned on his heel, making his way to the bathroom that was down the hall. Once inside, he turned on the light and looked at himself in the mirror. The reflection staring back at him didn't resemble who he once was. He looked like he had aged ten years in one night, his skin had taken on a dull ashen parlor, and his once vibrant oceanic irises were now a lifeless blue. In short, he looked like shit. Sighing, he looked down at his hands and noticed all the dried blood caked underneath his nails. For a moment, the room spun as all he heard was Betty's quiet groans of pain. His stomach churned and he was rushing for the toilet. Expelling the contents of his stomach, he took great, shuddering breaths of air to calm his frenzied stomach before flushing and wiping his mouth with a couple of paper towels.

He went back to the sink and began scrubbing at the caked on blood underneath his fingernails. As the crimson as sin blood drained down the sink, Jughead felt it very apropos to his mood. He wanted to wash himself clean too. Clean of the events that had transpired in the last couple of hours. He wanted to go back to the beginning of the day, when he was kissing a still sleeping Betty good morning and laughing gently when she scrunched her nose up in displeasure at the early hour. He felt tears sting at his eyes and sighed in frustration with himself.

_No. _

No more crying, Jones. Betty needs you to be strong for her. She's been nothing but strong for you this entire year, encouraging you to go to Stonewall even though she knew the risk it might take on your relationship with her. If she can sacrifice her own happiness for you, you can fucking keep your shit together and not break down. Yet. He nodded firmly to himself, finished scrubbing at his hands, and splashed cool water onto his face, hoping to calm down some of the hot energy he felt pent up inside of him. He needed to be doing _something. _Anything.

XXX

By the time FP had gotten back with a spare change of clothes, Jughead had calmed down infinitesimally. It wasn't much but it was enough to work with and make sure he kept a level head. He accepted the clothes with a word of thanks and went back into the bathroom and changed. Once in clean clothes, he felt even better, no matter how minute, and headed back into the waiting room. He spotted Emilia talking to Alice and his dad and hurried over, desperate to not miss any news on Betty's condition.

"-And I think it's okay if a couple of you guys sit with her right now," Emilia was saying.

"Is she awake?" Jughead interrupted eagerly but Emilia shook her head sadly and his stomach dropped.

"Unfortunately not. I'm very sorry. But I do think that a couple of you sitting in the room with her, talking to her, will help bring her back to consciousness faster than anything else," Emilia said.

"Does all that talk about speaking to a comatose patient actually mean something?" Veronica asked critically.

"I've seen stranger miracles," Emilia replied kindly, and Veronica softened as she nodded her head. Jughead looked at Alice.

"What do you say, Alice? You and I go sit with her for a while? Talk to her?" Jughead asked, and Alice squeezed his shoulder.

"Let's go, Jughead."

XXX

Jughead stared at Betty as soon as he entered the room Emilia had led him and Alice into. She looked so small under the fluorescent lights. Her hair was fanned out around her and there was an IV in her hand, giving her constant fluids she otherwise might not be getting at the moment due to being in a coma. He inhaled shakily as he sat down in the chair next to her head slowly, Alice taking the one opposite him. Staring at his beloved was like another punch to his gut. He should have _fucking been _there for her. Been there when whoever the dick was that took her, well, took her.

"You've got a lot of people worried about you, Betty," Alice said softly, and Jughead blinked, looking up at his girlfriend's mother. "You've got to wake up sweetheart. Wake up and remember who we are and who did this to you so we can catch him and get him locked away for a long time."

Jughead just squeezed Betty's hand, throat too constricted to be able to speak properly for the time being. What he wouldn't give to punch something right now. Or, have a smoke. He was an occasional smoker, only when the time truly called for it and he believed this time truly called for it. Alice continued speaking.

"You're a very brave girl, baby. Keep fighting," she encouraged.

Jughead found his voice finally. "That's right, Betts, fight as hard as you can. Fight like hell and come back to us; to me. Please." He placed a feather-light kiss to her forehead, not really caring that he was displaying PDA in front of her mom. He knew, too, that Betty wouldn't care. "I'm not going anywhere, baby." A soft whisper hidden beneath the whirring of the machines in the room. There were so many machines, Jughead was dizzy just by staring at all of them. One to track her vitals; another her heart rate. He kept a particularly close eye on that one, making sure there was a nice and steady flow to it.

Jughead took in all the features of his girlfriend's parlor. Her skin was grey; ashen and void of any color. Her hand was cold to hold and he found himself missing her warmth she usually provided. Immensely. He knew that if she were awake she'd be telling him not to worry, that she was fine. But. How could he _not _worry when she had sustained such serious head trauma? She was in a medically induced coma for fuck's sake. Things weren't looking good.

Just then, there was a light knock on the door that had Jughead looking up and smiling slightly. It felt stiff and painful, but he supposed it was a smile nonetheless and that it would make Betty happy, if she were awake.

"Hi," he said quietly to Cheryl and Toni. Toni had her arm wrapped around her girlfriend's shoulders and Jughead took the time to study the vivacious redhead. She seemed pissed, that much was clear. But there was also an undercurrent of sadness and he had no trouble understanding her mixed emotions; he too felt them himself.

"Would you guys like to sit down? I need to go speak to FP about some things," Alice said, moving to stand to her feet and offering her chair to Cheryl. Jughead looked at Toni, offering his wordlessly to the petite girl, but she shook her head, a kind smile stenciled into her features and he understood she was saying, "_no, it's okay. Stay by your girl. I'll stay by mine."_

Cheryl accepted the seat Alice had offered her and Alice patted Jughead on his cheek clumsily. "Hang in there for my baby girl. She's going to need all of us to rally around her when she wakes up."

He nodded his head, the lump that had formed in his throat making it too difficult to speak properly. After Alice left, Jughead exhaled shakily and looked back at Toni and Cheryl, who were looking at Betty sadly.

"So, she really might not remember who we are?" Cheryl asked quietly, voice quivering, and Jughead shook his head.

"No," he replied solemnly. "There's a chance she won't."

"And, we have no idea who did this to her?" Toni asked, voice hard.

Jughead grit his teeth and shook his head once, too livid to even speak.

"Sweet Pea and Fangs are already on it," she said softly, and he nodded, knowing his men would go to the ends of the earth to make sure their queen was safe.

"Thanks," he replied appreciatively.

"What can we do, Jug?" Cheryl asked, voice unusually soft given it was him she was speaking to. He sighed and rubbed a weary hand over his face; he was tired.

"I don't know in all honesty, Cheryl. There's so many things that are up in the air right now while we wait for her to wake up. The first thing we need to know is if she'll remember who any of us are," he replied.

"And, what about the attack?" Toni queried.

"The attack, unfortunately, will have to wait until, again, we know if she has her memory or not. Right now we're just chasing ghosts and my only priority and concern is making sure she feels okay when she gains consciousness," he sighed.

"Did the doctor say how long that would be?" Cheryl asked quietly.

"Emilia, the head surgeon on Betty's trauma team, said it could take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks," he muttered, heart clenching painfully at the thought.

"So it really is a waiting game," Toni sighed in frustration, and he nodded but opted to remain silent; they all knew it was the truth regardless of what he had to say on the matter.

XXX

A few days passed and Betty was still no closer to waking up than she was when she was first admitted. Jughead didn't lose hope, though. He sat by her side every day, talking to her softly. Sometimes he read to her, other times he told her how the Serpents and Charles were all out searching for clues as to who the dick was that hurt her.

"I promise you baby, we're going to catch him," he murmured, squeezing her hand gently. Just then, he felt light pressure back on his hand and his heart stopped. Looking at her, he saw her eyelids fluttering as the pressure returned. It was weak but it was there.

"Yes baby, that's it. Keep squeezing," he encouraged before yelling for Emilia, whom he happened to know was just down the hall. Emilia came hurrying in moments later.

"What is it, Mr. Jones?" Emilia asked calmly.

"She's squeezing my hand and her eyelids were fluttering!" Jughead exclaimed, hoping and praying she was going to tell him this meant Betty was waking up. Emilia moved him out of the way gently but firmly and began shining lights into Betty's eyes.

"Miss. Cooper, if you can hear me, please squeeze my hand," Emilia said, and Jughead's eyes were glued on Betty's hand in hers'. Then, very slowly, she squeezed it and Jughead could have cried from the relief he felt. Slowly, as if she was taunting them with just how slow she could move, Betty pried her eyes open, blinking against the harsh light in her line of sight. Jughead immediately pushed the light away and sat down on the bed, engulfing her in his arms.

"Betts," he breathed into her neck, feeling warm tears running down his face. But, something was wrong. She was stiff in his embrace, fingers curling and uncurling against his shirt. He pulled back and looked at her.

"Betts?" Jughead asked carefully, afraid of her response.

"W-Who are you?" Betty whispered.

Those three words caused his world to fall apart and Jughead went down, gasping for air as Emilia shouted for help. The worst had happened. She didn't remember him.

**Author's note: Enjoy. Xxx**


	3. Memories

Jughead didn't remember much from the time that Betty woke up, memory gone, to the time his dad was sitting next to him, talking to him in a low voice. He blinked a couple of times, trying to bring anything into focus but his ears were rushing, and his brain was numb; _he _was numb. The girl he was in love with didn't remember who he was. How on earth was he supposed to accept that? Just then, he felt his dad squeeze his shoulder and he blinked, looking at him dazedly.

"You need to focus now, son," FP said. "Betty is going to need all of the help she can get right now."

Jughead inhaled a shaky breath, wondering when his heart was going to stop constricting. Probably around the time Betty would get her memory back. So, maybe never. There was a soft throat clearing, and that was perhaps what brought Jughead back to his surroundings the best. Blinking, he looked up to spot Emilia standing in front of him, speaking. He worked hard to make it seem less like a tunnel he was standing in so he could hear her.

"Miss. Cooper is stable. Disoriented, but stable," Emilia said quietly, and Jughead's heart clenched. He could only imagine what was going through his girlfriend's head.

"Can I see her?" Jughead asked quietly, and Emilia gifted him with a kind smile.

"Yes. Ms. Cooper is in there with her right now but one more person won't hurt. Just be careful to not overwhelm her," Emilia said, and Jughead nodded. He gripped his beanie, finding the usual comfort that came with it. He walked into the room Betty was currently sitting in and peered at her. She was sitting up in bed, looking at her mother as Alice talked to her. The look of confusion and exhaustion passing over her face was enough to break Jughead's heart and he wanted to kill the dick who did this to her. He cleared his throat and Alice looked at him, smiling softly.

"Hello, Jughead," Alice said.

"Jug head?" Betty asked, confusion swirling in her green irises. It hurt Jughead in a way he didn't know how to name to know that she didn't know who he was; that when she looked at him, she saw a stranger. He swallowed harshly, before sitting down in the chair next to her bed.

"Hi, Betts," he said softly, watching as her eyebrows furrowed together.

"I'm sorry but do we know each other?" Betty asked with a frown, studying him as if she was trying to make the puzzle pieces slot together. He realized with a start, that she was.

"Yeah, it's… I'm your…. …we're friends," he finished, stuttering on the last word and hating how damn idiotic he sounded.

Betty looked at him blankly. "Friends?"

He nodded, wishing he could explain just what she meant to him. "Yeah, friends."

She didn't say anything else after that and Jughead found the silence uncomfortable and stifling. He wanted to crawl in the bed with her, wrap his arm around her and tell her he was sorry for all the shitty things that had happened to her. He didn't know if he was ready to know how she'd respond to him doing that, however, so opted to remain sitting in his chair.

"Miss. Cooper," Emilia, who had followed in after Jughead, looked at Betty. "What all do you remember from this morning?"

Betty scrunched her eyebrows for a second time as she thought about it and Jughead wanted nothing more than to smooth it out; his fingers twitched, and he worked hard to keep them clasped in his lap.

"I remember waking up and my head was hurting, as was my wound from the bullet," she muttered. Jughead knew Emilia had walked her through her injuries but didn't know how she had sustained them. She couldn't tell them who shot her, she didn't remember being kidnapped, nothing. All she knew was she woke up in the hospital with no memory of any of the people there with her or how she had gotten there.

"Yes. You were hit in the back of the head with a tire iron," Emilia said, and that was news to Jughead.

"What?" Jughead asked angrily, fist clenching. "That dick hit her with a tire iron?"

His dad, whom he hadn't seen enter the room too, nodded.

"Yeah, we found it at the scene of the crime and there was a significant amount of blood on it. We're lucky you got to her when you did," FP said. Jughead grit his teeth, wanting nothing more than to punch something. He looked at Betty who was quiet.

"Betty?" Jughead asked gently, and she turned her green irises onto him. "Are you alright?"

He knew it was a stupid question, but he needed to ask anyway. Just to get the taste of murder off his tongue. She nodded her head, then stopped, frown intensifying.

"I just don't know how to help you guys. I don't even know if I can trust you guys and that makes me sad. You all seem nice and obviously care about the girl I'm supposed to be but that's just the problem. I don't know who that is," Betty said in a painfully small voice and Jughead hurt for her. He looked at Alice, then the doctor and his dad.

"Can we have the room?" Jughead asked quietly but firmly. Alice, who had a steely expression in her eyes, looked at him and softened. She nodded her head and accepted the hand FP was holding out for her.

"We'll go get coffee for everyone," he said. Emilia looked at Betty for a moment, then Jughead, before nodding and leaving the room too. When it was just the two of them, Jughead found Betty looking at a spot to the left of his head and it hurt to know she felt too uncomfortable to make eye contact with him, but he couldn't pressure her. She needed to grow comfortable on her own time, in her own way.

"Betty," he said softly, watching as she blinked before looking at him slowly. "It's okay to be scared or angry or whatever other emotion you're feeling. Just don't feel it on your own."

"How'd you know what I was thinking? Because we're friends?" Betty asked quietly, and again, his heart clenched at the terminology. He hadn't been _just _her friend in so long. He had loved her since she defended him against playground bullies and there was never anyone else for him. But the fact that she didn't remember anything about them was a hard pill to swallow.

"Yeah," he commented lowly. "Because we're friends."

"We're we ever…you know…something else?" Betty whispered.

Jughead nodded, not wanting to lie to her. "Yes. But that's not what this about right now. Whatever you need, in whichever way, I'm willing to be that person for you, Betty. My only concern is making sure you get your memories back."

"So we can catch whoever did this to me?" Betty asked curiously, and he nodded, jaw clenched.

"Yes," he growled. He continued after taking a steadying breathe. "And, so we can make sure you can you're feeling better soon."

She nodded her head, biting her lip as she looked around the room. She seemed so small and lost in that moment, not like the brave warrior Jughead had always associated her with.

"What are you thinking?" Jughead asked, hesitantly placing his thumb against her knuckles and tracing them. He took it as a win when she didn't withdraw her hand as she contemplated her answer.

"Just," she began, "that I wish I could remember all of you. You in particular. I know you all seem to care about me, that much is plain as day. I just wish I knew how to reciprocate it."

Jughead continued his ministrations against her knuckles as he thought over his next words carefully.

"You will," he said eventually. "Or, you will come to. It's just who you are; it's in your nature. And no matter what kind of trauma you went through, nothing will change that. I can promise you that."

She nodded, studying his face.

"How long have we known each other?" Betty asked curiously, and something close to a smile flickered across his face.

"Since we were kids," he said. "You, ah, pushed one of my bullies into the sandbox after _he _pushed _me._"

"So, I was something of a bad ass," she surmised.

"Still are," he chuckled, and it was her turn to smile.

"Do you know where my dad is?" Betty asked quietly.

His stomach clenched. "You remember your dad?"

She was shaking her head in tune with him breathing a sigh of relief.

"No," she muttered. "But Alice says she's my mom and that FP is your dad. I figured my dad would be here, too. Or are we not close?"

Jughead suddenly didn't want to be in the room anymore. He didn't want to be the one to have to tell the girl he loved that her father was a murderer who was murdered in front of her. For the first time sine the whole ordeal had started, he was very grateful she didn't have her memories. He swallowed thickly, thinking about how best to explain it to her as he felt her eyes on him.

"You and your dad were close at one point," he began. "You used to work on cars together.

Betty interrupted him with a laugh. "I'm a grease monkey?"

"A very good one at that," he agreed with a laugh, before sobering up and continuing.

"Your dad wasn't a great man," he said softly, never stopping the tracing of her knuckles. He needed her to know that he didn't want her to think it was her fault with how fucked up her father had been. It wasn't; not in the slightest.

"How so?" Betty asked quietly.

He exhaled a sigh. "That's a conversation I think is best with your mom, to be honest, Betty."

"But I'm asking you," she said softly.

"Your dad, Hal Cooper, he-he hurt people, Betts," he said softly.

"How?" Betty asked dully.

"Betty…," he trailed off.

"Please Jughead, please tell me," she whispered.

"He killed people, Betts," he said.

She gasped and he squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"He's dead, Betty, he can't hurt anybody."

She sat there, processing that bit of information he told her before she looked at him.

"I'm really glad I don't have any memories of him," she said firmly.

Jughead nodded. "That's understandable."

"I was told you were the one who got me to the hospital," Betty said, and he nodded.

"Yeah. You won't remember but you were in a basement and you called me, asking for help," he murmured.

She nodded. "You're right, I don't remember."

Her tone was listless, as if she wasn't affected by the words she had just uttered, but the look in her eyes betrayed her tone. She was sad; affected by the fact that she didn't have a clue about anything that was happening.

"It's going to be okay, Betty. I promise," Jughead said firmly.

"I wish I could believe that. I think it would be easier if I just recognized any of you. You all remember me, and I just can't make my memories reappear any faster," she sighed.

"You can't beat yourself up for that, Betty. You went through a head trauma. It's going to take a while for them to come back," he said.

"If they ever do," she muttered.

"Hey," he said firmly. "Don't talk like that. We're going to get them back. You're going to remember. I promise."

She didn't say anything more and he felt the furthest from her he had ever felt. He didn't know when that would change but he was determined to make sure it would. He needed her to remember. He needed her to remember for her, him, _them. _

"Please. I'd like to be alone, now," she whispered.

Staring at her with an aching heart, he nodded, and got up, leaving the room and a piece of his heart with her. He knew she'd take care of it, memories or not; she always did.


	4. Winter nights

Jughead made his way to the hospital cafeteria, mind clouded with thoughts and disappointments. Betty had no clue who he was. Had no clue that they were a couple. It hurt him in ways he couldn't begin to fathom how to express because he needed her to remember him. It was crucial. Sighing, he saw Alice and his dad at a table in the middle of the cafeteria but chose to go to one in the corner; he didn't want to be around anyone right now. He got himself a coffee and sat down at a table tucked away and just stared at his coffee, lost in thought.

He thought back to the phone call he received a few weeks prior, to when Betty was locked in a basement. She hadn't been hurt at that point because she still remembered who he was. How he wished he could go back to that night, just to get her to remember him again, if only for a moment. He sighed as he blew into his coffee before taking a sip. He felt like the he was currently drowning and the only thing that could save him was Betty and her memories.

He stayed in the cafeteria for a while, watching as the other people in there drank their own coffee or ate the substandard food the cafeteria had to offer. Jughead refused to eat that off principal alone. He'd bring him and Betty something from Pop's later or get his dad to. He wondered if a burger from Pop's would make her happy or trigger any memories for her. He hoped so.

Jughead let about an hour pass before he decided that he was collected enough to go back to Betty's hospital room. He needed to see how she was doing even if she didn't remember him and even if she asked to be left alone. He usually wanted to respect her wishes but he knew that she was confused, and he just needed to be there with her, in the same room, letting her know that he was supportive of her and whatever she needed.

When he was back in her room, he found her sitting up in the bed, talking to Alice, and he smiled softly. She at least seemed to be content enough to talk with Alice. He went and sat down in the chair next to her bed, focusing on her body language. She didn't seem as tense and unsure of what was going on and for that he was eternally thankful.

"How are you feeling, Betts?" Jughead asked softly, and she turned her eyes onto him, small smile quirking her lips upwards.

"I'm good," she murmured. "Alice was just catching me up to speed about our half-brother, Charles."

Jughead nodded, still feeling angry about the fact that Charles wasn't there the night Betty was taken.

"Yeah, he's our half-brother," Jughead confirmed, and Betty nodded in response.

"And, he's good?" Betty asked. Jughead went to answer the question, even though he didn't really know how to answer it honestly, but Alice beat him to it.

"He's the best, baby. He loves you and Jughead and he's a great asset for our family," Alice replied, and Jughead nearly rolled his eyes. If he was so great, he would have been where he said he would have, and Betty would never have had to have gone through what she did, and she'd still have her fucking memories. So, yeah, he was a little pissed at his half-brother right now. Jughead opted to remain silent on the matter, however, not wanting to upset anyone during this fragile time.

"I got you some coffee, Betty," he said instead, holding up the coffee cup he brought back from the hospital. She smiled gratefully and accepted it with a word of thanks before taking a sip and sighing happily.

"At least I remember I like coffee," she said, and Jughead felt a pang in his heart at the fact that there were so many more memories he wished she would remember. Perhaps she saw the sadness in his eyes because she was continuing a moment later.

"The doctor is hopeful that my memories will come back over time. She said you guys just have to take me to some of my old favorite places and things like that to see if they resurface any faster," she said gently, squeezing his hand comfortingly. The touch was a gentle reminder that she was still there with him and for that he was fucking grateful.

"That's good, Betts," he said quietly, tracing her knuckles with the pad of his thumb. She still accepted his touch and he took that little gesture as the greatest sign that she, deep down, remembered him. She had to. They had been through too much as a couple for her not to.

Just then, Emilia walked in, and Jughead focused his attention on her.

"How are you feeling, Miss. Cooper?" Emilia asked, and Betty smiled.

"You can call me Betty. Everyone else does," Betty said.

"Alright, Betty," Emilia replied kindly.

"I guess I'm feeling alright. The medication is helping my head feel better and I don't feel any pain from the surgery for the bullet," Betty said, filling in the doctor, and Jughead, on how she was doing. Jughead was content with that answer for as much as he could be.

"When can she go home?" Jughead asked, curious to know when he could get her back to her normal routine and start working on her memories. Emilia shuffled through her notes before consulting Betty.

"I think you can go home by tomorrow at the earliest. There were no complications with the surgery and there was no infection or risk of infection at this point. I think it's important to get back to your regular routines and see what all of you can do to help you get your memories back," Emilia said, smiling kindly.

It was the best Jughead could hope for because it was exactly what he had hoped and wanted to hear. He watched as Betty nodded, seemingly content with the answer that Emilia had provided her with because she was smiling as she looked at Alice, then Jughead.

"Alice was saying we all live together?" Betty asked, and Jughead nodded, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck for he still found it awkward that they were all in the Cooper's household, dating one another.

"We do," he confirmed.

"I don't remember that, but I am excited about getting back to the house to see if there's anything that triggers memories. Emilia sad there was a possibility that could happen, with the help of you guys, and I want my memories back so I can help you guys catch who did this to me," Betty explained.

"Charles, your half-brother, works in the FBI and he's already got a team together, looking into leads," Alice said, and this was news to Jughead.

"He does?" Jughead asked in surprise, and Alice nodded, satisfied grin stretching across her lips.

"He does," she confirmed. Jughead nodded but didn't say anything else in response to that. He wasn't going to focus his time or energy on helping Charles, not when he was so fucking mad that he fucked up. Big time. Jughead was going to hunt down leads on his own and bring justice for Betty without the help of his half-brother. He wasn't close to him; hadn't learned anything about him while he had been away at school and didn't have the time to learn anything about him now. Nor did he want to. Looking at Betty, he addressed her.

"I'll take you to all of your favorite places that hold good memories, okay? I think that might help you remember quicker, too," he murmured. She nodded, biting her lip.

"I think so, too," she agreed. Emilia smiled at them then.

"Great, so we're looking at drawing up your discharge papers for tomorrow morning then and I'll send you home with some painkillers and strict instructions to take it easy. I don't want you to risk your recovery moving backwards in anyway, it'd only be detrimental to you," she said firmly, and Betty nodded her agreement. Then Emilia turned to Jughead.

"Can I speak to you for a moment, Mr. Jones?" Emilia asked. He frowned but got out of the chair, nonetheless, sent an encouraging smile to Betty, and followed her doctor out into the hallway.

"What is it?" Jughead asked quietly.

Emilia took off her glasses and sighed. "To put it plainly, Mr. Jones, I'm really counting on you being the best person for Betty right now. Her mother and your father are great tools for support, but I think you're going to be what she needs the most during her recovery."

"But she doesn't even remember me," he muttered dejectedly.

"Which is more reason she needs you in her corner. You guys share an intimate history according to your father and you were most upset upon finding out her memories were gone. You're the one she needs the most to rally around her right now. Take her to all the places you've guys been together. Share with her some of the stories you two wrote for your school newspaper together; Alice told me you both worked on it. Things like that will go a long way with her attaining her memories," she said wisely.

"Alright," Jughead agreed, willing to do whatever it took to help his love. They walked back into the room then and Alice offered to give Jughead and Betty some time alone if it was alright with Emilia. Emilia consented and the two adults left the room, leaving Jughead with Betty. He sat down in the chair next to her bed, looking at her.

"How are you doing with all of this?" Jughead asked softly, and she smiled hesitantly at him.

"I think it'll be good to get back to what's supposedly my normal routine. Alice is quite convinced it's going to help get everything moving in the right direction the quickest. I think that's the best we can hope for, yes?" Betty asked.

Jughead nodded. "Yes. I think it'll help the quickest be the most efficient."

Betty sighed and the sound almost sounded happy. He looked at her curiously, eyebrow quirked. She shrugged and smiled softly.

"Just really want to be able to help you guys. All of you seem so nice and supportive and it's just really important to me that I remember who you guys are," she clarified.

"It's important to me, too," he said quietly, fiddling with his fingers. He wished he could just hold her hand, but he didn't want to push past boundaries that were in place. He needed her to grow comfortable with him in her own time, on her own way. They fell silent then, both lost in their own thoughts. Jughead, when not talking to anybody, was consumed with the rage he felt that the attack had happened. His anger was white-hot, coursing through his veins at an alarming rate.

He was drowning under the tide of anger and the only one who could save him was the one who didn't remember him. It was fucked up in the cruelest way. He hated the universe for doing this to him; hated _himself _for wasting away his time at some pointless prep school when he was walking on borrowed time with Betty. There were so many things he would go back and redo if he could, but he knew that option wasn't available to him and it made him sick with anger. He needed to punch something; he was so mad. But that was not what was needed now. He needed to stay level-headed for Betty; he wasn't there when she was kidnapped, he owed her at least that much. To stay calm and collected and help her get healthy again.

"Tell me a memory only you know about me," Betty said softly, but suddenly. "A good memory."

He looked at her, soft smile on his lips.

"There was a Christmas when we were about thirteen that you and I both snuck out of our houses after everyone had gone to bed. We met up at a river in the woods, which is what is currently a favorite spot for us, and we exchanged gifts. I didn't have much money but I did save up to get you a new edition of your favorite book and you got me a this really cool typewriter that I suspect your parents helped you pay for but you never fessed up," he teased her, and she laughed.

"Yeah, I don't think any thirteen-year-old can afford a typewriter," she agreed, and he nodded. "Do you still have it?"

He swallowed do the lump in his throat at the fact that she didn't remember what was consider one of th best nights in his life. "Of course, I do. It was the best gift I ever received, and I'll never get rid of it."

"Tell me something else from that night," she asked softly, and he nodded.

"It was snowing, and the river had frozen over, so we thought it'd be a good idea to ice-skate on it. Obviously looking back, I can see how dangerous of a thing that was to do, especially with no adults around, but that night we didn't have a care in the world. It was just you and I away from families that didn't really know how to appreciate us," he murmured. He looked at Betty who was paying rapt attention to him, drinking in everything he was tell her. "We stayed out so late our damn noses near froze off. It was just the two of us, on a magical night, and I fell in love with you even more than I already was."

Betty smiled at him. "That's a good memory. I'm glad you have it."

"I wish you had it, too," Jughead replied softly, wishing for nothing else.

"I know," Betty said quietly, hands clasped in her lap. He looked at her, knowing that it wasn't her fault that she couldn't remember, and sighed.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm mad but I'm not mad at you. All of this is just so fucking unfair."

She smiled sadly. "I know. I can't begin to imagine how you're feeling."

"Forget about me, it's you that I'm worried about," he replied honestly. "I want you to remember these things because it's important; it makes up who you are."

She was silent for a bit, contemplative, before she spoke up. "Am I good person?"

He nodded without missing a beat. "The best."

"I mean, my dad was a killer…I don't think about hurting people like that, do I?" Betty asked worriedly, biting her lip. Jughead sighed, shaking his head.

"We all have darkness inside of us Betts and, while you're no exception to that unfortunate circumstance, you don't let yours' control you. You are nothing like Hal Cooper. He had no light in him; you carry the sun with you everywhere you go, going out of your way to make sure people are safe and happy," he assured her firmly.

"Good," Betty breathed out, relief coloring her tone. "I don't want to be anything like that man. I may not remember him, but I at least know that much."

Jughead chuckled. "I'm actually not sad that you don't remember him. You don't need to be remembering him and what he did. It would only derail your recovery and I won't allow anything to do that."

Betty nodded.

"I didn't think you would," she replied quietly, and he smiled. Even though her memories were gone, she still seemed to understand the way he worked and that was a win in his book. He'd take it for now.

**Author's note: Didn't proofread this. It's been a bit of a rough holiday for me because I found out my grandfather died and I haven't seen him since my grandparents divorce. It was still hard to find out. **


End file.
